Wicked Game
by dragonseeker55
Summary: Set before the anime. Ban is on the hunt for a "moon treasure" when he's caught in the theft by the princess of Ériu, Luna. In exchange for his freedom, he's bound to fulfill the princess's request for the adventure of a lifetime. Rated M for later chapters and language.
1. Disclaimer

Hello my beautiful readers! Quite a change from the past, hasn't it? I've recently stumbled across this genre of anime and to be honest, I loved the characters and the storyline and wanted to take a crack at it. As always, I don't own the anime or the manga and I will be taking creative liberties with the storylines and such. I hope you all enjoy it and please don't kill me...it's been so long since I've written anything and just watching the anime has sparked my love for writing fanfiction again. Eventually I will go back to the other fanfics I have started but stopped on, I can only say thank you for your patience and your continued reviews and views and such.


	2. Prologue 1

Disclaimer: anime/manga is not mine! Also, Ban is roughly 25 at the beginning of this story, two years after he met Elaine and drank from the Fountain of Youth...enjoy!

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A different kind of origin story

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Rain was prominent in the kingdom of Ériu, more so in its capital of Dublin. Everything was drenched in the torrential downpour that came from the oceans and waters around the island, but it made for excellent cover for an aspiring thief. Cerise eyes surveyed the city below him as he huddled on a slippery ledge, smirking as the Holy Knights below ran by his position. They were looking for him, he knew, from the bounties posted all over Britannia, but they wouldn't catch him.

After all, it's not every day that a thief would rob the King of Ériu of his most precious possession.

With a soft whistle, he made his way across the soaking rooftops towards the shining castle that overlooked the city of Dublin. Made of white marble and sandstone, it was literally a shining jewel in the dark, made even more so by the rain. Guards prowled the ramparts and the courtyards below, and there was a number that even he didn't go past when it was just him against opponents. Carefully the thief made his way around until he found a break in the wall and slipped in before finding a servant's entrance and moving inside.

It was child's play to move along the barren halls, looking for either the treasury or the King's study. It was said that the King possessed a treasure like none other, gifted by the Goddess clan to his bloodline several centuries ago. The rumors told that it was beautiful cerulean in color and could breathe seduction onto an unsuspecting victim. It was enough to rouse his interest, at least, and once he'd heard of the rumors in Baste, he'd made a point to break out and find out for himself. The trip had taken a little longer than expected, what with Holy Knights trying to bring him back in.

But he wasn't the Sin of Greed for nothing, as the world knew him by for his crimes.

An open door in the hall beyond opened up to a large, opulent office, and he blinked at his good fortune. He'd found the King's study with no resistance. "Some guards this King has," he muttered to himself before he went and started rifling through everything. He pocketed important documents and some jewels and priceless weapons he found, but he didn't find anything matching the whispers he'd heard about the moon treasure. A bit of shuffling revealed a safe, and a grin lit up his face.

Finally~!

With a soft hum of happiness, the pale-haired thief settled against the safe and started working the dial. Maybe the treasure was in here, then he could get it, sell it to his fence, and then -

"Uh, what are you doing?"

The lyrical voice stopped him short of the final number to crack the safe. It was soft, definitely feminine, and beautiful enough that he was regretting his rules about killing witnesses. He stood slowly with his back to the intruder - really, he had forgotten to close and lock the door - and grabbed his weapon before turning to face his guest, and felt the air leave his lungs. This...this was unexpected.

A slender young lady stood before him, clad in a short nightgown under a long silk robe, holding a candle in her hand. The firelight licked over her soft features, coloring her baby blue eyes a soft lavender. Her cerulean hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders, framing her angelic features; those doe eyes, small button nose, parted petal lips glistening with the candlelight. Her skin looked like velvet in the dim light and it made him swallow harshly. It wasn't her lucky day, and he almost felt bad for having to kill her. He readied his weapon as he strolled closer to her lazily, watching as she took a defensive step, almost into the hallway.

Faster than she could blink, he swung his weapon with his ability and snapped the door closed behind her, making her squeak softly and press back against the door. She had nowhere to go as he kept coming to her, and he stopped a few inches of being up against her. The candle flared his eyes to a fiery red, almost making them glow as they looked at each other. "See, I was looking for a moon treasure before you stumbled upon me, princess," the thief murmured, pushing one end of his weapon under her chin to make her look at him.

His eyes slid over her body, taking note of what she wore and the quality. She must be one of the King's children, he mused; her nightgown was made of fine cotton with silk details and her robe was silk and velvet, befitting a princess. He would have also tossed her into the group of nobles as well, but the King was a known stickler for not hosting his court at his castle. "Such a shame," he murmured, more to himself than to her. "Such a lovely girl and I have to kill you for being a witness."

Her eyes widened, but no fear or tears filled those sunlit pools. If he stared at her any longer, he'd be tempted to take advantages of the charms of her body before he ended her. For being so young, he deduced, she was quite the beauty. Granted, her face was the most of it for the moment, but her lithe body had promise; her limbs were long and graceful looking, and her lean shape hinted at future curves. She would have made a beautiful trophy for some disgusting noble who'd probably want nothing else to do with her. "How old are you, princess?" he asked softly, his fangs hinting in the light.

"Fifteen."

Fuck, she was really young. "Well, princess, tonight is not your lucky night," he told her, bending down to look her fully in the eyes. "In my line of work, witnesses aren't usually a good thing to have, and I'm already in trouble with the law." A crooked smirk lit the corner of his mouth, his weapon coming out from under her chin. "Now, since you've been so polite with me, I'll make your passing as painless as possible."

At that moment, something clicked within those watery pools of hers and she held a hand out, pressing her palm to his chest. The warmth of her palm against the chilly dampness of his bare skin made him pause as he looked at her, even as a shudder ran the length of his body and back up his spine. He let out a sound of shock and awe, even as her pupils dilated at the exact same time. What had just happened?

"Don't I get a last request?" Her soft voice broke through whatever spell she'd just woven and he could only look at her, dazed for the moment. He gave her one nod before she took her hand away, and suddenly everything was back in clarity once more. He shook his head to clear the lingering fog that teased his senses before he glared at her.

"What the hell did you just do?" he demanded, pressing his weapon under her chin once more. He was done playing games; he couldn't believe he'd gotten soft for one minute. This almost reminded him of the pretty fairy at the Fairy King's Tree...the blonde one who'd become his friend before the demon happened. When she didn't answer, he pressed the butt of his weapon harder against her. "Answer me!"

"I didn't do anything," she said defensively, showing fire for the first time, and he had to admit...it was kind of attractive on her. "I just asked for a last request, which you agreed to grant, so don't get snippy with me!" Her eyes and voice snapped sparks and he swore he could see smoke come out of her ears, which made it a bit amusing. A crooked smirk tilted his lips as he looked at her but his eyes were still cold.

"So what's your request, princess?" he sneered the last word, wondering for the umpteenth time how he had gotten into this situation. He knew better, and he could only imagine Zhivago smacking him upside the head for his failure.

Her eyes met his and kept them riveted. "Come back here tomorrow and see me," she said simply, as his ears picked up the faint sounds of guards rousing to the defense. "Yes, they know that you're here, but it's not my doing," she continued to his disbelief. Further surprising him, the petite girl moved aside and opened the door for him. "I'll tell them you went down the other hallway, but you must hurry not to get caught."

Wait…"You're helping me escape? Why?" he asked harshly.

A soft smile curved her pretty lips and he felt himself drawn, to his disgruntlement. "You're still looking for the moon treasure, right?" she asked, to which he nodded warily. "I know where it is, and I will give it to you when you come back. Now, go!"

Spurred by her words, and the sounds of knights growing in volume, the thief growled at her, carmine eyes flashing as he took off faster than she could blink. With his superhuman hearing, he could hear her stammering excuses to throw them off his trail before he disappeared into the night air, her final request lingering in his ears.

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As the rain pounded away at his tent, hidden deep within the woods that surrounded Dublin, the thief could only stare at the ceiling as their interaction played in his mind. That girl...she was unusual. She hadn't seemed afraid of him, and she'd even let him go...but to what end? What did she gain from him escaping? He hadn't even truly stolen what he'd gone after, and now...he was bound to go back to her.

A growl left his fanged mouth.

What the fuck was wrong with him?! He should have just killed her...his irritation turned to thoughtfulness when he touched his bare chest, where her palm had lingered. That touch...it had rattled him in a way he'd never felt before, and he wasn't a fan of being unsettled. She was an enigma, that was for sure, and the pale headed thief knew that his damned curiosity would get the best of him to see what she wanted.

A toothy grin curved his mouth as his eyes closed, his body relaxing. She would get a visit, all right...he would see to it. And then the treasure would be his.

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So what do you guys think? First fic in almost ten years~! Part two of the prologue is coming next chapter!


	3. Prologue 2

Hey guys! Second part of the prologue, as promised! The way I wanted to do this story is, it's supposed to span a decade, but have some breaks to see how their story progresses. I'm debating making it one long story, or cutting this story at a dramatic point and then making another one after the anime. Oh, and there is a change to this story: Ban never fell in love with Elaine, but rather became a friend because of his promise to find King, so there's a bit of a twist. Hope you guys enjoy! As always; I don't own the anime/manga...but I wish I owned Ban .

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The next day, ironically enough, dawned sunny and bright, with droplets falling off the leaves and bushes and soaking the outside world from his tent. Despite the ruckus of the previous night, the thief had slept pretty well, his dreams including the haunting figure of the princess he'd met.

He hadn't even gotten her name.

That would change today, he told himself as he roused and dressed, using some water drippings to tame his spiky pale hair. He dressed in his usual clothes, the green plaid and gold contrasting with his pale skin. He packed up camp quickly and made his way back into the city of Dublin, sticking to the shadows. There was more foot traffic than usual, but it was to be expected; he had infiltrated their king's castle, after all.

Stealthily he made his way to the castle and stashed his bag in the stables, taking a moment to feed a couple of the horses some of his spare produce. He'd been a sucker for animals for a while, but could never afford any of them; now that he'd drunk from the Fountain of Youth, he never had a need for horses because of his speed, but he still admired them. In a stroke of luck, he found some spare stable hand clothes and changed, walking out looking like a completely different person.

The sounds of the busy castle threatened to give him a headache, but he was here on a mission. He had to find the princess and see what her request was before he took matters into his own hands. No matter than she'd let him escape with some aid, she was still a witness to a crime and he didn't leave witnesses. After ambling about and avoiding more foot traffic, he hopped into some trees around a large courtyard and watched some knights sparring against each other.

One of them was curiously smaller than the others, with his form lean and light, darting in and out with such speed that it made his head tilt with hadn't seen a Holy Knight move so fast before...then again, this one didn't have the overwhelming aura like a Holy Knight. This one…"tame" was the word that came to mind, but still it wasn't enough. It wasn't until he saw the tiniest peek of cerulean blue that he stiffened up, eyes turning to narrowed rubies as the hood came off and the silken hair was revealed.

It was _her._

She smiled as two other men approached her, one who looked like a Druid and another who had darker features. They both patted her shoulders and shared smiles, and he noted the similar features that all three shared; these must be her brothers, he mused. Watching her in the middle of the crowd showed that she was a favorite amongst the men, if not their equal to some degree.

Now, how to get her attention…

It would have been easy to throw something at her; however, that would have attracted the attention of the Knights around her and he had enough trouble avoiding them already. Frowning for a bit, he grabbed a branch and shook it lightly, causing the nearby branches to rustle. Her head sharply lifted and looked in his direction, and he smirked as he made eye contact with her. He gave her a two finger salute before disappearing with his speed, finding a better vantage point to escape.

However, he found himself in a luxurious bedroom, obviously decorated for a woman. Pastel hues of blue, lilac, and pink adorned the room, most of the decor shining with gems or gold accents. He could only shake his head as he reclined on the surprisingly soft bed, and it wasn't long before he heard her footsteps. A moment later, she burst into the room and shut the door behind her, panting from running up to meet him.

"You could have chosen a better meeting place than my room!" she hissed, which made him smirk and sit up, pointing a finger at her.

"I fulfilled your request, princess. You're in no position to scold me," he growled back, eyes flashing. She didn't back down, which irritated him further. "I'm here; why in the hell did you want me to come back? To finally have me thrown back in prison?"

Her eyes widened slowly before she'd shaken her head. "No, I asked you back to fulfill my true request," she told him, her soft voice playing like music on a spring breeze. Everything about her was so soft and sweet and it almost made his teeth ache. "It's obvious who you are and what you've done, and I feel you're the only person who can give me what I want."

"Who I am, hmm?" he mused, standing and leaning on one of the pillars of her bed. "Who exactly am I, princess?"

"Why, you're Undead Ban...the Sin of Greed who drank from the Fountain of Youth."

The reminder of his sin, and the acts of only two years ago, made anger flash darkly in his body and his fists to clench. He'd made a promise to that sweet fairy he'd befriended in the Forest and he'd broken it. Now she was gone and he was stuck with an ever present reminder of an innocent life lost. "Yeah, that's me, princess," Ban said bitterly, looking at her. "Now tell me why you think I'm this person you're looking for."

Her countenance softened with his obvious irritation and anger and it almost set him off; he didn't need pity, especially from royalty. "Because you don't give a damn about anything or anyone and you have traveled to many places," she told him, her language sparking a bit of amusement. "I've never been off the island, and I don't think I ever will because of my father and brothers...they're overprotective and demanding and just...argh!"

Her outburst of exasperation made him laugh, which caused her to glare at him. "So, are you asking me to somehow kidnap you so you can travel the world?" he said between chuckles, stopping when her whole face lit up. Seeing such joy and conviction on her face was attractive and he had to steer those thoughts away. However, that look did cause some doubt. "You...you're serious?"

"Yes!" she said excitedly, moving closer to him. It was close enough to let him smell the shampoo of her hair, and it was a delightful blend of ocean breeze and some sort of flower. "You're the perfect person! It wouldn't be kidnapping, because it would be consensual that I'm going with you, and we can travel and world and we can see new places, meet new people, have new adventures!"

A harsh laugh devoid of amusement ripped from his throat. "Do you realize how naive you sound?" he told her incredulously. "A princess of the only island nation in Britannia wandering around with a wanted thief who is known as the killer of the Fairy King's Forest? Are you nuts?"

Her eyes narrowed angrily. "It's better than being stuck here to rot in a gilded cage."

Her words struck a nerve but he didn't let it show; he couldn't let her see just how similar his own thoughts had been. Growing up with abusive parents, losing his sister at a young age, stealing to make a living and have a life...most people didn't have the family part and that was a sort of twisted gilded cage for him. He crossed his arms and looked at her. "Still not a good enough reason to ask a convict to essentially take you on dangerous heists and adventures. You'd be fighting to keep the law off our backs."

Her eyes brightened and he inwardly cursed at his choice of words. "So you'll take me then?" she asked happily, moving to grip his arm. Even her hands felt warm through his clothes and sent a shiver down his spine. "You'll fulfill my final request and take me off this island?"

To be perfectly honest, he'd known he didn't have a choice; if he knew anything about the magical world, a promise given was a promise fulfilled, and he'd given his word that he'd give this princess a "last wish" before her death. Well, now he had no need to kill her if she were to adventure along with him…

He wouldn't make it easy, however.

"All right then, you can tag along for a while," he said with a lazy drawl, smirking as she smiled widely. "However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows, princess. You'll work hard, barely get enough sleep, and learn until you're sore and you bleed from your limbs. Think you're up to the challenge?" She nodded and he sighed, pushing off the poster. "Grab a bag and pack only your most simple clothes...no silk or frills or anything on the road, you'll only stain and tear it."

Ban could only watch as she grabbed a small plain bag and started stuffing the plainer part of her wardrobe into it. He stealthily went to her vanity and pocketed a few pieces of jewelry, because why not, and turned to face her once he heard she was around ready. "By the way...I never got your name, princess."

"My name? Oh, it's Luna...Princess Altalune of Ériu."

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Second part of the prologue complete! What did you guys think? Any thoughts or suggestions? Let me know in the reviews! I need to know if I'm staying true to the character :)


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